Middle East Kingdoms

The Ottoman Empire
AD 1290 - 1924

Control of the Islamic Empire was lost by the Arabic Abbasid Caliphate when the Il-Khan Mongols killed the last caliph in 1258. Initially, while the Mongols ruled Mesopotamia and eastern Anatolia, the Ottomans focused on conquering and securing western Anatolia and Greece. From 1453 the Ottomans made their capital at former Byzantine Constantinople. A puppet Abbasid caliphate was set up by the Mamelukes in Egypt, so when they were conquered by the Ottomans in 1517, they inherited the caliphate.

(Details on Republican Turkey and the Ottoman heirs by Hayreddin Barbarossa).

1290 - 1326

Osman I

First sultan (ruler) of the empire.

1308 - 1326

Seljuq Rum is overthrown. Bursa [Prusa] is taken from Byzantium in 1326.

1326 - 1359

Orxan / Orhan

1331 - 1354

Iznik (Nicaea) is taken in 1331. Izmid (Nicomedia) is taken in 1337. Gelibolu (Kallipolis) is taken in 1354 . Ankara (Angora) is taken in 1354.

1359 - 1389

Murad I

1361 - 1387

Edirne (Adrianople) is taken in 1361. Konya (Iconium) is taken in 1387. Thessalonica is taken in 1387.

1389 - 1402

Bayezid I Yildirim / Bayaat

Defeated & imprisoned by Tamerlane at battle of Ankara.

1402 - 1421

Mehmed I

1421 - 1451

Murad II

1451 - 1481

Mehmed II Fatih (the Conqueror)

1453

Istanbul (Constantinople) is taken.

1475

The Crimean khanate becomes a vassal.

1481 - 1512

Bayezid II

1512 - 1520

Selim I Yavuz

1517

Egypt and Syria (an Egyptian Mameluke possession) are conquered. The puppet Abbasid caliphate is transported to Istanbul by Selim and he is later credited with assuming the caliphate himself.

1520 - 1566

Suleyman I the Magnificent

1526

Hungary is conquered, and the Principality of Transylvania taken.

1538

Moldavia is conquered by the Ottomans.

1566 - 1574

Selim II

1571

The empire conquers the Christian Kingdom of Cyprus from the Republic of Venice.

1574 - 1595

Murad III

1595 - 1603

Mehmed III

1603 - 1617

Ahmed I

1611

The principality of Wallachia is conquered by the Ottomans.

1617 - 1618

Mustafa I

1618 - 1622

Osman II

Assassinated by Janissaries.

1622 - 1623

Ahmed I

Restored.

1623 - 1640

Murad IV

1640 - 1648

Ibrahim

1648 - 1687

Mehmed IV

1687 - 1691

Suleyman II

1691 - 1695

Ahmed II

1697

The Shihabi Amirs of Lebanon become semi-independent.

1695 - 1703

Mustafa II

1703 - 1730

Ahmed III

1730 - 1754

Mahmud I

1754 - 1757

Osman III

1757 - 1774

Mustafa III

1774 - 1789

Abdul-Hamid I

1789 - 1807

Selim III

1806

The Ottomans lose both Moldavia and Wallachia to Russia.

1807 - 1808

Mustafa IV

1808 - 1839

Mahmud II

1821 - 1829

The Greek War of Independence is fought against Ottoman rule. With international support, that independence is achieved and recognised in 1830.

1839 - 1861

Abdul-Mejid I

1854 - 1856

Britain and France join the Ottoman empire in the Crimean War against Russia, to halt Russian expansion. The war ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, a severe setback to Russian ambitions.

1842

Direct rule of Lebanon is reacquired.

1861 - 1876

Abdul-Aziz

1876

Murad V

1876 - 1909

Abdul-Hamid II the Damned

1909 - 1918

Mehmed V

1913

The empire loses Bahrain and Cyprus to British control.

1916 - 1918

The Arab Revolt liberates much of the Middle East from Ottoman control, with Britain and the Hashemite Arabs taking control. France takes control of Lebanon and Syria.

1918 - 1922

Mehmed VI

Exiled. Moved to San Remo where he died in 1926.

1922 - 1924

Abdul-Mecid II

Caliph only. Not recognised by Mehmed until 1926.

1924

The Ottoman Empire collapses and a Republic of Turkey is declared.

Heirs of the Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman dynasty was expelled from Turkey in 1924 and refused re-admittance. Their property was confiscated. It wasn't until after the 1950s that they were granted re-entry, and in the 1990s, the right of citizenship followed.

1926 - 1944

Abdul-Mecid II

Former Caliph. Recognised upon the death of Mehmed V.

1930

Constantinople is renamed Istanbul as part of Kemal Atatürk's campaign to create a secular Turkey.

1944 - 1954

Ahmed IV Nihad

1954 - 1973

Osman IV Fu'ad

1960

Military coup in Turkey. The Prime Minister and two ministers are hung, the constitution is replaced, and Parliament is suspended.

1971

Military coup in Turkey.

1973 - 1977

[Mehmed] Abdülaziz II

1977 - 1983

Ali Vâsib

1980

Military coup in Turkey.

1983 - 1994

Mehmed VII Orhan

1994 - Present

Ertugrul II Osman

1997

On 28 February there is another military coup in Turkey. The government is forced to resign.